Southeast Asia in 3 Weeks

Arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport and take the Airport Rail Link to your hostel in the Silom or Banglamphu area. After settling in, head to Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace complex in the afternoon, then wind down with pad thai and mango sticky rice at a street stall on Khao San Road.

Start the morning at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and cross the Chao Phraya by ferry to Wat Pho to see the giant reclining Buddha. In the evening, browse Chatuchak Weekend Market if it's the weekend, or head to the Asiatique Riverfront night market followed by drinks at a rooftop bar in Silom.

Take a long-tail boat through Bangkok's khlongs (canals) to Wat Rakhang in the morning, then grab dim sum lunch in Yaowarat (Chinatown). Catch your evening flight to Chiang Mai (about 1 hour) — budget carriers like AirAsia and Nok Air serve this route daily.

Spend the morning exploring the walled Old City — visit Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, both free or with a small donation. In the evening, stroll the famous Night Bazaar on Chang Klan Road for handcrafted souvenirs and northern Thai dishes like khao soi.

Take a songthaew (shared red truck taxi) up to Doi Suthep temple for panoramic views over the city, ideally arriving by 8 AM before the crowds. In the afternoon, visit an ethical elephant sanctuary north of the city where you can feed and walk alongside rescued elephants.

Join a morning Thai cooking class at Thai Farm Cooking School or Zabb E Lee, where you'll visit a local market before preparing 5-6 dishes. If it's Sunday, do not miss the Walking Street on Wualai Road — one of Thailand's best artisan night markets, stretching for nearly a kilometer.

Fly from Chiang Mai to Hanoi (approximately 2.5 hours with a stopover in Bangkok). Check into a guesthouse in the Old Quarter, just steps from Hoan Kiem Lake. Walk around the lake at dusk, watch locals doing tai chi, then grab a bia hoi (fresh draft beer) at a pavement stall on Bia Hoi Corner.

Spend the morning at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. After lunch, wander the 36 ancient guild streets of the Old Quarter, each selling a different trade. Finish with egg coffee (ca phe trung) at Cafe Giang, a Hanoi institution since 1946.

Visit Ngoc Son Temple on the small island in Hoan Kiem Lake in the morning. In the evening, join a street food walking tour through Hang Be market and the Old Quarter — try bun cha (grilled pork with noodles, the dish Obama famously ate here), banh mi, and pho bo.

Take a morning flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap (around 1.5 hours). Check into your guesthouse near Pub Street and spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or getting a $5 Khmer massage. In the evening, eat amok (coconut fish curry) at Haven Restaurant, a social enterprise training disadvantaged youth.

Set a 4:30 AM alarm and arrive at Angkor Wat by 5:15 AM to watch the sunrise reflection over the main towers — one of the most iconic moments in Southeast Asia travel. After breakfast, explore Angkor Thom's South Gate and the Bayon temple with its 216 giant stone faces.

Visit Ta Prohm (the 'Tomb Raider temple') in the morning before the crowds arrive — enormous strangler fig trees engulf the ruins spectacularly. Hire a tuk-tuk for the afternoon to reach Banteay Srei, a 10th-century temple famous for its intricate pink sandstone carvings, and end with sunset views from Pre Rup.

Fly from Siem Reap to Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport (usually via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, about 5-6 hours total). Arrange a private driver transfer to Ubud (1.5 hours from the airport) — agree on 300,000-400,000 IDR. Check in, have dinner at Locavore or Naughty Nuri's, and walk Monkey Forest Road.

Start with the Campuhan Ridge Walk at sunrise — a 9 km trail through jungle and coconut palms, completely free. In the afternoon, hire a scooter (60,000 IDR/day) to reach Tegallalang Rice Terraces and the nearby Kanto Lampo waterfall for a swim.

Visit the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (80,000 IDR entry) in the morning — home to over 700 long-tailed macaques among ancient temple ruins. Browse the Ubud Traditional Art Market just outside the Royal Palace for batik clothing, woodcarvings, and silver jewelry. Catch a traditional Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu or Pura Dalem Ubud in the evening.

Join a morning yoga class at The Yoga Barn (some classes are drop-in) followed by a Balinese cooking class at Paon Bali Cooking Class, learning to make bumbu (spice paste), lawar, and jaje Bali. In the afternoon, drive to Tirta Gangga water palace or Tukad Cepung waterfall for dramatic cave swimming.

Hire a driver or take a rideshare to Seminyak (1.5-2 hours from Ubud). Check into your accommodation and head straight to Seminyak Beach for the afternoon. Watch the legendary Bali sunset at Ku De Ta or La Plancha beach bar, where rainbow parasols line the sand.

Visit Petitenget Temple early morning for a quiet ceremony experience, then take a 2-hour surf lesson at Double Six Beach (beginner-friendly, around $25 including board). In the afternoon, browse Seminyak Square and Jalan Laksmana for boutique fashion and homewares before dinner at Merah Putih for modern Indonesian cuisine.

Spend a luxurious morning at Potato Head Beach Club — the entry fee (around $25) comes as a drink credit. Book an afternoon Balinese massage at Jari Menari or Bodyworks (around $20 for 60 minutes). Wind up the evening with a feast at Sardine in Kerobokan, set in a rice paddy with an open kitchen.

Take a day trip to the Bukit Peninsula — hire a driver for 400,000 IDR to visit Uluwatu Temple perched on dramatic 70m sea cliffs, then watch the famous Kecak fire and trance dance at sunset (tickets 100,000 IDR). Have a final dinner with seafood at Jimbaran Bay, eaten at candlelit tables on the beach.

Enjoy a final Balinese breakfast — jaja (rice cakes), bubur sumsum (coconut rice porridge), and fresh fruit from a warung. Pick up last-minute gifts at Pasar Badung market before your airport transfer. Depart from Ngurah Rai International Airport with a bag full of batik and a head full of memories.